An American Tragedy

I want to mention very briefly–not discuss, not analyze–a few matters that we will be returning to in future issues of Dissent. They are central to our moment.

A few facts, perhaps known but worth repeating:

Nearly one out of every four residents in New York lives on an income below the poverty line, which in 1987 was set by the federal government at $11,611 for a family of four. In 1988, 23.2 percent of the New York City population lived below the poverty line...